Automatic railroad gate



May 5, 1925.

W. C. STEWART AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, I922 fiigwd nvl Emma.

ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. C. STEWART AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed July 24. 1922 May 5, 1925.

May 5 $925.

1 1,536,360 w. c. STEWART AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed July 24, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 w v n Willi/@772 UQSZiajfiNI ENTO V V L-iTTORMZE.

Patented May 5, 1925.

u ir stares 1,536,360 PATENT orrics.

WILLIAM C. STEWART, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE.

Application filed July 24, 1922. Serial No. 577,086.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM C. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railroad Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety gates, designed for use at railway crossings of steam and electric railways and has for its object to provide a gate of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with means whereby the gate member is automatically shifted to safety and signalling position to block the highway at a crossing on the approach of a train or electric car, whereby reducing to a minimum accidents, under such conditions providing for a great saving in expense to steam and electric railways.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety gate, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, economical and efficient, convenient in its use, readily set up and comparatively inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other ob ects in .view, the invention consists in novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accomanying drawings, wherein is shown an em- EOdlmGDt of the invention, but 1t is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a safety gate in accordance with this invention, the gate member shown shifted to safety and signalling position, and further shows in dotted lines the position of the gate member ininactive position,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

ig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fi 1 I Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fi 1 Fi 5 is an enlarged'view of the gate mem er, broken away,

Fi 6 .is a top flange view of the gate mem or, broken away,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a detail illustrating the vertical hinge.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 and 2 denote track rails and positioned at one side thereof is a housing 3 in which is arranged the operating mechanism for the gate member, which will be presently referred to.

The housing has secured therein sheave bearings 4, 5 and 6 and in each of which is mounted a sheave 7. Supported upon the bottom of the housing 3 is a worm shaft bearing 8, having a worm shaft 9 journaled therein and which is connected to the shaft 10 of the motor 11, the latter being'secured within the housing 3 at the bottom thereof.

Arranged within the housing 3 is a bearing 12, in which is mounted a stub shaft 13 which is carried by the gate member and the latter consists of two sections 14 and 15 and to the former is secured the stub shaft 13.

The gate member operates through an opening 16 formed in the housing 3 and the section 15 carries a cover plate 17 which when the gate member is shifted to inactive position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the plate 17 closes the top of the opening 16. The section 14: has a pair of attaching members 18 and 19 fixedly secured thereto near the inner end thereof, and secured to the member 18 is one end of an elevating and lowering cable 20. The other end of the cable 20 is fixed to the member 19. The cable 20 winds and unwinds on and from a drum 21 which is mounted in standards 22. Associated with the drum 21 is a worm gear 23 which is driven by the worm shaft 9.

Positioned in the housin 3 is a magnetic self-starting switch 24 whlch is electrically connected with a contact switch 25 arranged a suitable distance ahead of a crossing to give the gate member ample time to be lowered to safety and signalling position before the train reaches the crossing. The contact 25 is actuated by the train. The magnetic switch 24 is electrically connected with the contact switch 26 which is positioned a suitable distance be 0nd the crossing to allow trains to clear t e crossing before the contact is actuated by the train to reverse the .motor for elevating the gate member.

Electrically connected with the magnetic switch 24 is a cut-out switch 27, which is arranged within the housing 3 and which is operated by the gate member to stop the motor 11 when the gate is at the limit of its upward movement. The magnetic self starting switch 24 is electrically connected with the motor 11 as at 28.

The sections 14 and 15 of the gate member are so connected together that vertical movement of the section 15 can be had in case of said section striking an obstruction when being lowered, then further, the section 15 can be operated outwardly when the gate .memher is down if desired. To provide for these movements of the section 15, the inner end of the section 15 has secured thereto a vertical hinge member 29 which is overlapped by a vertical hinge member 30 carried on the outer end of the section 14. The hinge members 29 and 30 are connected together by a pintle 31 which is surrounded by a coil spring 32, the latter having one end 33 bearing on the member 29, and its other end 34 bearing on the member 30. The member 30 is pivotally connected as at 35 to the section 14:, and is formed with a curved slot 37, in which operates a stud 38, carried by a retaining member 39 which is secured to the section 14 and overlaps the hinge member 30. A fiat spring 40 associates with the member 30.

When the motor 11 is operated in one direction due to the actuation of the contact 25, with the gate member shown in position by dotted lines, the cable 20 is wound off the drum 21 and the gate member lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, and on the actuation of the contact 26, the operation of the motor 11 is reversed, the cable is wound on the drum andthe gate member shifted in position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the gate member is shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the cut-out switch is actuated and the operation of the motor discontinued.

What I claim is A safety gate comprising a housing having a gate opening extendin from a point intermediate the ends of a si e wall and terminating at a point intermediate the sides of the top wall, a drum arranged within said housing, sheaves connected with the other side wall, said top wall and the bottom of the housing and further arranged within the latter, a cable trained over said sheaves and winding on and off said drum, and a gate member pivotally connected intermediate its ends to that side wall provided with the opening, and means for operating said drum to raise and lower said gate member through said opening, said cable having its ends connected to said gate member in proximity to the inner end of the latter.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

WILLIAM C. STEWART. 

